Jeddah– Saudi Arabia, and the rest of the world, observe “World Prematurity Day”, which falls on November 17 of each year, and aims to spread awareness about health problems that may face a premature baby (also known as a preterm baby) and ways to prevent them, as various health sectors are keen to participate in this day and focus on educating mothers about the importance of following up on pregnancy to avoid premature birth and raising awareness of how to care for preterm birth and the concerns of preterm babies and their families.
The Ministry of Health provides the best medical services emanating from its keenness to care for preterm babies, by preparing intensive care facilities for newborns with advanced medical devices to successfully overcome this stage.
The term premature birth is when a baby is born too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy have been completed, and they are of less than normal weight, as their weight often ranges between 1.5 to 2.5 kg; where they are placed according to their medical conditions in special incubators for a certain period that is appropriate to their health status and age. This step for the organs to grow and strengthen their bodies, so that they are not exposed to long-term health problems.
Specialists identified several known factors that may cause premature birth, such as the health status of the mother if she suffers from chronic diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes, or the presence of problems in the uterus, cervix, placenta, or infections of the membranes surrounding the fetus, as well as her exposure previous premature birth, or exposure to spontaneous or induced abortion several times, in addition to the fact that a twin pregnancy may increase the chances of having an early delivery.
They stressed the great role of parents in following up on the baby after discharge from the hospital by visiting the various medical clinics to ensure the safety of the child, in addition to the need to visit the pediatrician periodically to assess the muscular and mental development and to take the necessary vaccinations.
Source: Saudi Press Agency